Chennai
JCD Prabhakar was elected unopposed as the Speaker of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, while Ravi Shankar was chosen as Deputy Speaker during the second day of the 17th Assembly session.
The election of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker took place amid heightened political attention after the TVK-led alliance, headed by Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, secured 108 seats in the 234-member Assembly and emerged as the single largest formation in the state.
Following the election results, the TVK formed the government with the support of allied parties. Ahead of the Assembly session, Karuppiah, the MLA from Cholavandan, was appointed Pro-tem Speaker and administered the oath of office by Governor Rajendra Viswanath Arlekar.
The first session of the newly elected Assembly began, during which all newly elected legislators formally took oath as Members of the Legislative Assembly. Chief Minister Vijay, Opposition Leader Udhayanidhi Stalin, ministers, and legislators from various parties participated in the proceedings.
Political observers closely monitored the election for the Speaker and Deputy Speaker posts due to the shifting political dynamics in Tamil Nadu following the dramatic election outcome. However, since no opposing candidates filed nominations for either position, both J.C.D. Prabhakar and Ravi Shankar were declared elected unopposed.
In accordance with Assembly tradition, Pro-tem Speaker Karuppiah and Opposition Leader Udhayanidhi Stalin escorted the newly elected Speaker to the Speaker’s chair in the Assembly chamber.
Leaders from both the ruling alliance and the opposition congratulated the newly elected Speaker and Deputy Speaker during the proceedings. Chief Minister Vijay and Opposition Leader Stalin expressed hope that the Assembly would function smoothly and democratically under the new leadership.
The peaceful conduct of the election process is being viewed as a positive sign for the stability of the new Assembly, particularly after the intense political realignments that followed the election results.
During discussions in the House, Kamaraj of the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazagam extended support to the TVK-led government and voiced confidence that Chief Minister Vijay would provide effective governance during the next five years. He also expressed hope that the administration would successfully complete its full term in office.
The Assembly session proceeded peacefully, although political circles continue to closely observe developments within both the ruling alliance and opposition parties as the new government begins its tenure.